Celestaris: Chronicles of Manga, Moon & Kizuna.

Lesson 1

An infinite white space stretched as far as the eye could see. Haruto wandered aimlessly, feeling trapped in what was clearly an odd dream. A blinding flash surrounded him, forcing him to shut his eyes.

When he opened them again, the emptiness was gone. Now, he was seated at a desk, like in a classroom. In front of him stood a familiar figure, though something about her was... different.

It was Kizuna, but to his disbelief, she appeared at a normal height.

She was dressed like a high school teacher, wearing slightly crooked glasses that she clearly donned just to look more intellectual. She held a pointer with authority, aiming it at a chalkboard filled with doodles. The drawings, with questionable artistic merit, depicted Yuna with elf ears and a sword.

—Good morning, students!—exclaimed Kizuna enthusiastically, banging the desk with her pointer—. Ready for our little class, kizu?

Haruto, still blinking from the abrupt change, looked up, visibly confused.

—Students? Class? What kind of nightmare is this?—he muttered, rubbing his eyes—. And more importantly, why are you... normal height?

Kizuna adjusted her glasses with an air of solemnity, as though her dignity had been challenged, while a theatrical sparkle lit up her eyes.

—What are you talking about, Haruto-kyun! I've always been this amazing. Maybe you can't see your classmates, but believe me, they're here, kizu.

She gazed at an invisible spot, as if addressing an unseen audience. Haruto sighed and rested his chin on his hand, deeply regretting having asked anything.

—First, we'll talk about our protagonist, Yuna Kazeharu, our wind elf. I know her beauty can't compare to mine, but, you know, she's the one calling the shots, kizu.

Kizuna waved her pointer dramatically, and the chalkboard magically changed, displaying a surprisingly detailed drawing of Yuna: sleek green hair, equally green eyes, pointy ears, and an elegant outfit that highlighted her serene yet determined nature.

Haruto raised a hand, his face clearly showing he already regretted what he was about to say.

—I thought I was the protagonist...

Kizuna suddenly pulled out a giant poster featuring the cover of the first volume of Celestaris. The image depicted Yuna in the center, radiating an air of grace.

—Tell it to the cover, Haruto-kyun,— Kizuna said smugly, pointing at the poster with an air of superiority—. I don't know about you, but all I see here is a green-haired elf, not an otaku obsessed with references.

Haruto slumped over his desk, utterly defeated.

—But why do you have to say it so harshly...?

Ignoring his complaint, Kizuna smacked the chalkboard with her pointer.

—Let's move on to the weapons! Yuna wields a beautiful silver bow, the "Elven Bow," and now her marvelous new sword, the "Elven Sword." Both are masterpieces crafted by the master artisans of Durkheim.

The chalkboard changed again, now displaying a drawing of a gleaming bow adorned with intricate leaf and wind designs, alongside an equally elegant sword.

While Kizuna continued her lecture, Haruto had begun folding a paper airplane, clearly bored.

Klak.

The sharp smack of the pointer against the board echoed like thunder. Haruto jumped, dropping the paper airplane in surprise.

—Pay attention, or you'll end up in remedial classes, kizu.

Haruto immediately straightened up in his seat.

—Now that I have your attention, let's reveal some information about your weapons.— Kizuna materialized two toy pistols and, donning an oversized red trench coat, mimicked Haruto's signature pose when summoning his guns.

—These are Aka-Oni, the red pistol, and Ao-Oni, the blue pistol. Aren't they super cool, kizu?

Haruto raised a hand, looking slightly concerned.

—Why do they look like water guns...?

Kizuna ignored him completely, her voice swelling with dramatic flair.

—Many years ago, two demons were sealed within these weapons: Aka-Oni, also known as Akane Kurai, and Ao-Oni, also known as Aoi Hisame.

The chalkboard shifted, now displaying two feminine figures: Akane, with fiery red hair and a traditional Japanese outfit, and Aoi, with short blue hair and a kimono seemingly crafted from ice.

—Akane was bold, temperamental, and determined, while Aoi was calm, analytical, and icy in demeanor,— Kizuna declared, striking a heroic pose—. And if you're wondering—yes, they're references. A white-haired demon hunter? A blond guy with his brother? Of course, kizu!

Haruto blinked.

—Aren't you going to stop before you get us into legal trouble...?

Kizuna smirked mischievously, her gaze drifting into the void as if she knew something no one else could comprehend.

—Exactly!— she said with unapologetic confidence. Then, closing her eyes, her tone shifted to something dramatically mysterious—. But I'm about to reveal the final secret...

—Huh?— Haruto tilted his head, intrigued.

—These weapons exist here because of...

Suddenly, Kizuna's declaration was cut off by the sound of an eraser sliding across the chalkboard.

—Olivia! What are you doing, kizu?!— Kizuna shouted, turning to the source of the interruption.

There stood Olivia, the AI spirit of Haruto's panel, erasing the chalkboard with robotic efficiency.

—Warning! You are about to reveal classified information. I cannot allow this to be disclosed,— Olivia stated neutrally as she continued erasing at a breakneck pace.

Kizuna lunged, trying to snatch the eraser from her.

—What nonsense are you spouting, kizu?! Our imaginary students need to know this!

—Classified information. Access denied,— Olivia replied flatly, moving the eraser out of reach.

Haruto watched the chaos unfold with a mix of fascination and resignation as Kizuna and Olivia wrestled for control of the chalkboard.

As the dream began to fade, the two figures blurred into the infinite white background.

Haruto opened his eyes, lying on the grass, staring up at the clear sky. The gentle rustling of leaves in the wind brought him back to reality.

—I really need to sleep less...— he muttered, covering his eyes with an arm as a faint smile crept onto his face.